Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

As Andy Murray and the rest of Britain’s Davis Cup winning team were summoned to 10 Downing Street to receive a formal pat on the back and message of well down from Prime Minister David Cameron, the roundly criticized Lawn Tennis Association proffered a hand of peace and promised chief executive Michael Downey would listen to any suggestions from top players in future.

Murray maintained he had grown so tired of nobody paying heed to his suggestions that he had stopped offering them. Yet almost 36 hours after the world no.2 made his damning comments in Ghent, an official response finally came from within the LTA headquarters.

“We value the opinions of all our players on how we grow the game in Britain and out door is always open to hear their views and work with them and all our partners,” said a released statement from Downey.

The chief executive officer, head hunted from a similar role with Tennis Canada three years ago previously stated: “The Aegon GB Davis Cup team’s success at the weekend was an incredible sporting achievement and we congratulate Leon and all of the team for what they have accomplished.

Their success is a chance for the nation to celebrate and we hope this will inspire people to pick up a racket and get on court.”

Meanwhile the Daily Mail was reporting that winning captain Leon Smith’s predecessor, the Florida-based John Lloyd, had pointed an accusing finger at the All England Club, who supply an annual £35 million (US$53m) from Wimbledon profits towards British tennis but refuses to get involved in any governance.

Speaking to ESPN, Lloyd reportedly said: “Wimbledon always say that it’s not their job to talk about British tennis, the job is purely to put on a great tournament.  Wimbledon just keeps on giving the LTA millions each year with no input and it’s a tragedy.

“Why aren’t they speaking out about the LTA when they have a chance to do so? If you are giving that amount of money each year and you’ve got nothing to say about how it’s spent than that’s mind boggling. It’s sad that Wimbledon pass the buck and say it’s not their job.”

Lloyd, who has long been an All England Club member, continued: “If Wimbledon had a say in how the money was being spent, you have to think that things would be better. With the LTA, it’s a failed business with a failed business plan that just keeps on failing.

“My question to the top people at Wimbledon would be: ‘Are you happy with the results?'”

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.